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“Jeez, man, you need to work out more.” Jack Trainer ambled inside.
“We can’t all be weaklings like you Trainers.”
“You tycoons wouldn’t last a day on the ranch.”
“You know that’s not true, right? Why the hell are you here anyway?” He looked at Jack. Dressed in his uniform of faded jeans and a worn T-shirt, he looked fit and vital like he always did.
“I just saw Mandy raiding your herb garden. I asked her where you were, and she said she heard grunting coming from up here and loud music. She was wearing exercise clothes. It’s weird, but who knew she had a body like that.”
“Like what?” Ted played along.
“Well she’s like my sister, so I’m not really going with hot. But she’s, well… she’s….” Jack looked uncomfortable.
“Hot?”
“That.” Jack waved a hand at him.
Ted knew Mandy would never mention his sister or what she’d learned. Just as she wouldn’t mention she was working out with him. She was a secret keeper, a rare breed of people.
“I need your help, Ted. You’ve taken this week off, right, so you’re not needed here.”
Ted had foolishly in a weak moment said he’d take some time off to spend with the bachelor party. He was now regretting it. He didn’t even know these guys from Howling well, but somehow he’d got roped in.
“I really need to go in—”
“You struggling to let go of those reins, bud?”
“Some.” He could do this; his doctor had told him he needed to take some time out as his blood pressure was too high, and if he didn’t get it down he’d have to take pills. That shouldn’t be an option at his age.
“Jeans,” Jack said.
“Why jeans?”
“We’re building floats.”
“What? Why am I building your float?”
“And yours. I was speaking with Lenny, who as you know is one of your—”
“I know who Lenny is.”
“Don’t get testy I was just checking. Anyway, he said you never had a float and it pisses some of your staff off, but as they’re all too frightened of you to mention it, I am. So this year Falls Lodge is participating in the parade.”
“I didn’t know it pissed them off. No one ever said anything to me.” Ted was surprised by Jack’s revelation. “And they’re not all scared of me.” He thought he had a fairly good handle on his staff and what went on with them. He’d always had an open-door policy. Okay, not many people walked through it, but still it was open. Why was he suddenly doubting the way he ran his staff?
Jack gave him a pitying look that made him want to punch him.
“You’re the boss, bud.”
“And therefore, don’t know shit?”
“Not exactly, but there’s some stuff that will slide by you.”
“Excellent. There I was living in the land of delusion thinking I had my finger on the pulse of everything, but I seem to have missed this.”
“Don’t feel bad, not all great men have their shit together,” Jack said, wandering out the door. “Now hustle it along, we’re eating first. Your treat.”
“I’m sweaty and need a shower.”
